Book protector



May 17, 1938. A E [MPERATORE v 2,117,559

BooK PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 5l, 1956 y 1 Il n A@ THU@ E. /MPERA rope INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 17, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to a combined book protector and marker, but more specifically to means for protecting the upper edges of the leaves of a bound book while positioned on shelves 5 or in upright and closed position, the book marker being used only during the period when the book is in open position.

Bound. books, when in upright position either on book shelves or exposed in the open, accumulate dirt and dust on the upper edges of the leaves, the said upper edges being natural depositing places; for the lower edges are protected by abutting a support while the forward edges being vertical receive dirt and dust only when the same are travelling horizontally.

The main object therefore of the invention resides in the provision of a protector which is readily applicable to a book either during the binding operation thereof or after the book is fully bound, the said protector being of a construction whereby a book marker is secured thereto to operate only when the book is open.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a book protector which fully rests on the upper edges of the leaves from the rear leafbinding edge to the forward edges of the book leaves and from the` inner surfaces of the sides of the cover forming the binding.

`Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a book protector which is easy to use, economical to manufacture, positive in operation and serviceable in use.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and as pointed out in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specification is a drawing showing a preferred form of the invention and wherein corresponding reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In accordance with the drawing:

Figure l is a sectional view along the plane I-I of Figure 2 showing the book protector and marker in operative position while the book is closed, the said type of book protector being used when the same is applied to the book during binding operation.

Figure 2 is a front View of the book protector shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the book protector when not in use and while a book is open, the said book protector in this con- 55 dition being folded between the rear portion of the binding cover and the rear edges of the leaves of the book.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary and sectional view along the plane of an intermediate leaf of a book in closed position showing another type of book 5 protector and marker while in operative position, the said type being used for application to a book that has already been bound.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 4 showing the book protector in inop- 10 erative position while the book is open, the said book protector being folded into the space between the rear edge of the binding cover and the rear edge of the leaves of a book.

In accordance with the invention and in ac- 15 cordance with the preferred form thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, a binding cover is shown having side walls I0 and I I and a rear wall I2, while the rear bound edges of the leaves of the book are indicated by numeral I 2. The top 20 edge of the leaves of a book is designated by numeral i3 and the front edge is designated by numeral I 3', the said front edge being shown as arched.

One type of combination book protector and 25 marker is shown in Figures l, 2 and 3 wherein a shield member I4 is formed of buckram, leather or any iiexible material having a downwardly folded member I5. Shield member I4 has a width that covers and lies on the exposed top edge 30 I3 of the leaves between the side walls IU and II and is of a length sufficient to extend from the inner surface of rear Wall I2 to the front edge I3. The shield member I4 at its forward edge is arched to conform to the arch of the front edge 35 I3 of the leaves of the book. Folded member I5 is secured below the top edge I3 to the inner surface of rear wall I2 by any suitable means such as stitching I 6 during the binding stage. It is, of course, understood that the attachment of 40 folded member I5 to the inner surface of rear wall I 2 may be accomplished by pasting or gluing and after a book has already been bound.

Secured to the shield member I 4'along the longitudinal axis thereof is a tab member I'I preferably made of the same material as shield member I4. Tab member II is secured at one of its ends to the shield member I4 in any suitable fashion but as shown by stitching I 8, and is provided with a book marker I 9 secured at its opposite end. The book marker I9 is secured to tab member I1 in any suitable Way but as shown by stitching 2U. The book marker I9 may take a form of a narrow strip of silk which projects from the end of tab member I1 which is secured to the shield member I4.

The tab member I-I is of a length sufficient to project slightly above the rear wall 20 when the shield member I4 is in folded position between rear wall I2 and the rear edge I2 of the leaves of the book, as shown in Figure 3.

In the position shown in Figure 3, the projection of the tab member I1 is sufficient for grasping purposes to withdraw the shield member I4 from its inoperative position. The shield member I4 in its inoperative position, as shown in Figure 3, affords the exposure of the book marker I9 along the upper edge I3 of the leaves of the book so that when a, book is opened for reading purposes the book marker I9 falls within the page being read and serves as a book marker while the book is in open position.

Figures 4 and 5 show another type of book protector and book marker containing the same elements as the type above described but differently arranged. The same numerals primed indicate the analogous parts of the construction shown in the first three figures.

I5 represents the folded member of the shield member I4 and is secured to the rear edge i2 of the leaves of the book instead of to the rear wall I2 as in the type shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, by means of any securing material such as glue I6. I'I represents the tab member and is secured as shown in Figure 5 to shield member I4 by means of stitching I8. The said tab member at the upper edge thereof is provided with a book marker I9 secured to the upper edge of tab member I1 by means of stitching 20'.

VWhen the book marker is in folded position between rear wall IZ and the rear edge I2 of the leaves of the book, book marker I9' rests on the upper edge I3 of the leaves of the book in the same fashion as shown in Figure 3. However, when the shield member I4 is withdrawn from its folded position to assume the position shown in Figure 4, the tab member I'I lies between shield member I4 and tape member or book marker Il. The type of book protector and book marker described in Figures 4 and 5 is vbest suitable for application to thosebooks already bound since it is comparatively simple to paste the folded member I5 against the rear edge I2 of the leaves of the book.

I wish it understood that minor changes and variations in the material, integration and affixation of the several parts may all be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A book protector and marker adapted to lie on the upper edges of a bound book when the book is in standing and closed position, the protector being adapted to be folded between the rear wall of the binding and the rear edge of the leaves of the book when the book is in use, comprising a flexible rectangular shield having a downwardly folded member concealedly aflxed to the binding of the said book, a tab member secured at one end to the shield member, a tape member secured to the other end of the said tab member, the latter end of the said tab member projecting slightly above the upper edges of the book when the shield is in folded position.

2. A book protector adapted to lie on the upper edges of a bound book when the book is in standing and closed position, the protector being adapted to be folded between the rear wall of the binding and the rear edge of the leaves of the book when the book is in use, Comprising a flexible rectangular shield having a downwardly folded member concealedly axed to the binding of the said book, a tab member secured of theltab member projecting slightly above the upper edges of the book when the shield `is in folded position.

3. A book protector and marker adapted to lie on the upper edges of a bound book when the book is in standing and closed position, the protector being adapted to be folded between the rear wall of the binding and the rear edge of the leaves of the book when the book is in use, comso at one end to the shield member, the free end prising a flexible rectangular shield having aV downwardly folded member affixed to the inner surface of the rear wall of the binding, a tab member secured at one end to the shield member, a tape member secured to the other end of tab member projecting slightly above the upper edges of the book when the shield is in folded position.

ARTHUR E. IMPERATORE.

.45 the said tab member, the latter end of the said* 

